Wildcats lose only one significant player next season: Juice Thompson

It's always tempting to call the final game a microcosm of the season.

But, hey, when it works, it works.

And it does apply to Northwestern's "what if" 69-66 NIT quarterfinal loss at Washington State, which ended after midnight and left NU fans reaching for Tylenol and greasy food Thursday morning.

What if John Shurna had not missed so many open looks from 3-point range? Juice Thompson, who played every minute, had knocked down one of his three shots in overtime? The Cougars had not played DeAngelo Casto, who was suspended and then un-suspended after a marijuana-related arrest? The refs had called an obvious palming violation on Washington State's Klay Thompson with 19 seconds left in regulation?

It is a maddening exercise, just like wondering if the Wildcats (20-14) would have earned their first NCAA tournament bid had they beaten Ohio State twice, rather than a one-point loss and overtime defeat. Or if Shurna had not severely sprained his left ankle and faded from a 24.4-points-per-game scorer (granted, against inferior competition) to 13.8 in his final 23 games.

Even after falling a game short of reaching Madison Square Garden, this counts as the best season in the history of Northwestern basketball.

The FireBillCarmody Twitter handle now displays a photo of VCU coach Shaka Smart, but Carmody undoubtedly has earned a 12th season after NU's impressive final six games: victories over Minnesota (twice), Milwaukee and Boston College and overtime losses to the top-ranked Buckeyes and Cougars.

With all due respect to Mike Capocci, Ivan Peljusic and Jeff Ryan — whose positive attitudes never corresponded to their dwindling minutes — the Wildcats lose only one significant player: Thompson.

But what a player. You should cue up Tina Turner's "Simply the Best" while reading his accomplishments. He started every game for four years, breaking school records for assists and minutes and ranking second all-time in 3-pointers, third in points and fifth in steals.

Four players will vie to replace him at the point: incoming freshmen Dave Sobolewski of Benet Academy and Tre Demps of San Antonio and returnees Alex Marcotullio and JerShon Cobb.

Carmody half-joked that Marcotullio's biggest issue is being left-handed, and not in the way you might think: "He's just a little flaky, you know?"

Cobb struggled in the final month because of a hip injury, and there were whispers he was contemplating transferring. He said he's "happy" at Northwestern and determined to improve his ballhandling in the offseason.

"I like the situation here," he said. "I feel like next year with Juice gone, I'll step up into more of a leadership role, maybe play point guard. The future is looking bright for me."

Carmody said Cobb has much of what it takes to be a floor general: "He's smart and cagey. I never have to explain things twice to him. Some guys don't want to accept that leadership responsibility, but he does."